


bowls of candy

by belivaird_st



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-06-21 10:46:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15556026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belivaird_st/pseuds/belivaird_st
Summary: Carol stops by to see her psychotherapist after purposely skipping her appointments for five months.





	bowls of candy

August, 1953

Carol walked past Dr. Schneider, her psychotherapist, into a four-wall, dark gray painted room. She sat down on the edge of the floral design couch, patting her hair in place, while the doctor closed the door shut and took a seat behind his non-cluttered desk. He folded his hands together on top of a stack of Manila file folders and studied the woman carefully.

“It’s been five months since our last session together, Carol,” Schneider flatly declared. “You haven’t been returning any of my phone calls...”

“It’s my shop,” Carol said, sheepishly. “I work full-time now.”

“I suppose selling furniture can keep a lady quite busy,” Schneider replied.

Carol smiled, but it was a painfully forced one that ached her cheekbones. She gazed down at her fingernails while the doctor flipped over and pulled some papers out from a file folder. He stared down at his old notes on Carol Aird from her previous visit with him, which was back in March.

“How are you getting along with your in-laws? Still playing Bridge and having dinner with them?” 

“Yes, and I’m still a horrible card-player,” Carol spoke with a light chuckle. Schneider didn’t laugh back. He kept reading his neat, cursive handwriting.

“And your sleeping patterns? How are they?”

“Better,” Carol nodded. “Waking up early is not always bowls of candy.”

Schneider paused. Then,

“Are you still having those... those _urges_ when you see other women?”

Carol thought of Therese, who was actually home, at their apartment, cooking a mixed vegetable kale soup for them for dinner. They made love last night, and the night before, so... 

_But was she having any urges with other women?_

“No, Dr. Schneider,” Carol slowly responded. “No I have not had any urges. I’ve been right on track with my medication.”

“I’ll prescribe you another dose, anyway,” Schneider said, laying the papers down to reach for his black fountain pen. “You can never be too careful. We all have our slip-ups, every now and then.” As he scribbled out his signature, Carol was glaring at him from the couch and thought: _The only slip-up is your head, Doctor. I love Therese, and she loves me, and nothing’s going to change that!_

Carol sat up from the couch and took the piece of paper she knew she was going to throw away later.

Schneider went back on his notes and kept questioning Carol more like a suspect than a patient.

**xxxx**


End file.
